Villainous garbage fire, you never know what’ll pop up here. Useful head-canons? Decent art? Mini stories? Who knows, I sure don’t (Mostly Black Hat trash, sorry QwQ)
You’re not sure if she was ever capable of speech, or if she is mute by choice, but Poker Face is incapable of speech. Granted it’s probably her “thing” as a mime villain, but even when the two of you are alone she never speaks.
A notepad is slid into your line of sight.
Looking up from your keypad, you give the villain before you a look of utter confusion.
“How may I help you today ma’am?”
She points to the notepad, her mask completely obscuring her face.
Don’t for a moment think it stops her from having fun
You look at the paper.
“Hey cutie ;3”
You look up to see her pointing at you with finger guns.
It’s actually pretty hilarious when people assume she can’t understand them
Mute is not deaf. She is is perfectly capable of listening in on conversations. Don’t believe her? Well, don’t let him know, but you’d never believe the dirt she has on the mail boy from downstairs!
Poker Face is one of the “cool” villains
She’s honestly the best. Filled to the brim with charisma and self confidence, Poker Face doesn’t need anyone to tell her how great she is. Despite her inability to “talk” to most people she is capable of captivating everyone she meets. New villain? New friend! Group of kids at a park? Irresponsible Awesome aunt figure here she comes! Adorable new attorney at the Black Hat organization?
Sign her up~! *purrs*
Needless to say you were quickly won over.
She’s a bit of a show off, but she can’t help it! She loves impressing others!
You smile in awe as Poker Face produces a card from thin air and sets it on fire. Flicking her wrist, the card turns into a bouquet of orange and red roses. She offers it to you with a flourish.
“Wow!” You gingerly take them from her. Bringing them close, you smell them, picking up a vaguely orange scent. Huh. “They’re beautiful.” You murmur.
She chuckles from under her mask and twirls a knife on her finger. “It nothing.” She signs, spelling it out slowly for you.
With each visit to the organization, Poker Face has slowly but surely been teaching you the alphabet. And you can proudly say you’re getting the hang of it!
You sign back, “Very good still.”
Poker Face chuckles before putting a finger to her mask and pointing the hallway behind your desk.
You look back and salute as Black Hat squints at the flowers in your arms.
“Hey boss, when did you come back?”
“Not long ago.” He grumbles and turns his attention to the woman behind the counter, “Flowers, eh?”
She moves her head side to side giddily.
“Oh, before I forget, you have a meeting with Aku in an hour. He’s been going on about some design for a new armor or something, he kinda lost me in the last bit.”
Black Hat nods and takes a file from your desk. He bares his teeth at Poker Face before he goes.
“If my assistant’s work begins to lag it will be on your head.”
She blows a kiss.
No one knows her real name
Honestly, you’re not sure if anyone knows her real name. The only ones who know are probably herself and Black Hat seeing as he knows pretty much everything.
“You aren’t gonna tell me?”
Poker Face shakes her head and crosses her arms.
“Well I can’t keep calling you Poker Face, it’s pretty long.”
She tilts her head.
“You give name.” She signs.
You rub your chin, “Well.. you have hearts on your costumes.. and you’re kinda a diva.”
She snorts, ushering you to continue.
“Oh come on, it’s true and you know it.” You snap your fingers, “Queenie!”
“Why?”
“The Queen of Hearts, you know, like the kids movie. It suits you.” You grin cheekily.
Queenie pinches you playfully.
She’s a glutton for attention
If she didn’t have her mask on she’d be seen grinning all the time! Poker Face loves being in the spotlight, whether it’s at the craps table or on television after a heist, she adores being in the limelight.
Poker Face poses in front of the mirror, admiring her freshly cleaned uniform. Her stockings were covered in blast powers and all sorts of weird chemicals, but you somehow managed to clean it up!
You laugh from your spot at her vanity, “You’ve been staring at yourself for half an hour! Come on Queenie we have to go.”
You managed to reserve a seat at one of the more expensive fine dining restaurants in the city. Granted it was with the help of your boss’s name, but you still did it! And here Queenie was, taking her sweet ole time.
“So white.” She signs excitedly, “Very red. Clean. Soft. Stretchy still!” She does a backflip and lands in a split, making small sounds of glee.
“You’re going a bit too fast for me Queenie, I think I saw soft in there somewhere? ‘With’ something…?”
Spelling out the words slowly this time, Poker Face stands up and presses the mouth area of her mask to your cheek.
“Look good me!”
You smile, “You always look good. Now, I know you love your outfit but if you dress like that the cops will get us before we can finish an entrée.”
- -
“Queenie.. this isn’t low-key at all.”
She looks back at you.
Her dress is covered in rubies and rhinestones that flash and glitter with every turn. Her buttons are solid gold. Hell, she looks like she could buy the whole restaurant with just the sleeves!
“Cheap dress me own.”
“Liar.”
She snickers.
She loves swing!
If you haven’t noticed yet *flutters eyelashes under her mask* she is very flexible! Give her the right beat and she will break out in dance! As her partner, you will soon realize that no outing with Poker Face is complete without a moment of dancing. Having a special place in her heart for swing, Poker Face will bring you to swing competitions all over the place. Have extra work you have to do? She’ll help you! Have two left feet? You couldn’t have found yourself a better teacher!
“Queenie!” You burst into a fit of giggles as you are spun around the dance floor. Your blood thrums with excitement as people cheer all around you, your legs grow tired but your energy feels limitless!
Poker Face smiles, her mouth visible due to the opera mask she has stitched out.
Just for today, she reminded you earlier.
“You’re doing great.” She mouths.
If she knew you’d be as great as you were at swing she would’ve taught you the Charleston while she was at it!
Poker Face is fiercely loyal, hurt her loved ones and you may just lose your hand
Every villain has their own moral code. Some won’t hurt certain types of people and some don’t discriminate between who they kill. With Poker Face, everyone knows she defends her people.
She is the Queen of Cards after all.
Poker Face strokes your cheek as she pulls you to her chest. You both are hiding behind the bar of a gambling den, guns drawn as lower rate yakuza flood the room.
“Maybe we shouldn’t listen to Lady Naga for vacation suggestions.” You laugh weakly, your mind fuzzy with blood loss. Your leg was coated in blood.
Turns out, silk doesn’t absorb blood as well as you thought.
Poker Face fumes with rage, her knuckles white with how tightly she holds her gun.
How dare they hurt you! How dare they ruin your date! You were about to win the jackpot!
You look up at her.
“Queenie..?” You say unsteadily.
She lifts her mask and kisses the top of your head.
“No move.” She signs.
You nod.
She lets go and fires above the bar.
The firing above your head falters.
Poker Face slides over the bar and sends bullets in every direction; her hands fill with blade like cards once the ammo runs out.
I’m all about world building, I love making new worlds and adding twists to them. For the most part I make up people/ethnicities and languages or mix existing ones together. If anything ever doesn’t make sense or is confusing feel free to ask me 😙
It was supposed to be a simple outing. You were out on a little excursion before getting ready to go to work the next day. Now, in a place like Avidité Central where mostly corrupt merchants run the system, you are always watching out for crime. Villains are expected in this county, drug lords work with the top merchants and shady arms dealers are often having meetings in your local cafes. An attack like this was bound to happen with arguments over trade routes at an all time high. But the mastermind behind the sudden turf war was not who you expected, seeing as you live miles from the coast of Hat Island.
You cover your head as you hide behind a stone bench, the sounds of screams filling the air as debris rains down. Yet another attack in only two weeks of semi peace. The Indigos and Silks had been bumping heads for months now, this fight was expected- but in the PARK?! SERIOUSLY?!
An iron arm flies over your head after a blast shakes the ground beneath you, turning back into flesh as it rolls away.
You begin to regret your investment in your apartment.
“Le Mavroir! Le Mavroir!” A soldier yells, his tone full of panic.
The fighting stops.
To your right, you hear the soft tapping of a cane on the cobblestones.
Memories of history lessons flood your thoughts, a timeline of past heroes and villains. Legends and the forgotten.
Le Mavroir.
The Black.
“Well, well, well. I expected a bloodbath, but this, this is absolutely sublime.” His guttural voice echoes from every direction, loud and clear, and demanding attention.
“Andreas Indigo,” the tapping of his cane stops on the other side of the bench. You see the bottom of his trench coat as he sits down. “This fight doesn’t seem to be leaning in your favor.”
A man seethes, “Your so-called advice began this you-“ He stops abruptly when he begins to choke.
Black Hat clicks his tongue, “Don’t test me boy.”
You slowly move away from the bench, silently sliding away towards the stairs to the subway.
The poke of a blade in the middle of your back stops you from moving any further.
Black Hat turns his head, his eye glowing from under the shadow of the brim of his hat. He purrs, “Where do you think you’re going?”
Bravery gets you everywhere and out of there
You clench your fists to try stopping them from shaking.
“I just- I just w-wa...” You suck in a breath, feeling the blade dig into your skin. You push down your fear and bow your head, “Aplires, mos Mavroir.. I wish to leave..if you would allow it.”
The villains in front of him snicker, knowing his bloodlust ran deeper than theirs. There is no escaping him alive.
Slowly but surely the blade stops and sinks back into the ground. He chuckles.
“Trevikla. Very well, little mouse.”
They fall silent. Your eyes widen in awe.
“Run swiftly, before I decide to use you to whet my appetite~.” He grins fiendishly and shoos you away.
He turns around, continuing where he left off.
“Now. Where were we?”
Leaving no time for him to reconsider his decision, you rush underground and cover your ears once more as the screams begin again.
You meet again under slightly better circumstances
You work at a bakery where the owner is less than chivalrous. You pretty much handle the whole thing: prepping, cleaning, baking, paperwork and paying bills. Often waking up at 4 in the morning to prepare for the day. Really the man is there to make sure you don’t touch the money and to occasionally help with the ovens. It sucked, but you liked the patrons.
However, upon arriving to the store that morning, you can tell something is off.
Unlocking the backdoor to the bakery, you flick on the lights and grab your apron from its hook.
“You don’t look like an Avarician.”
You shriek, turning around and whipping out your gun from your jacket pocket. A hand wraps around the barrel.
Black Hat towers over you, his coat covered in blood splatter.
“You don’t act like one either.”
“How do you know if I am or not?”
“A true Avarician would have shot already.”
You look at his hand, “If I were to shoot the Mavroir, the Blackwells would kill me.” You say, referring to the new rulers of the east and west side, after the Indigos and Silks were all slaughtered by the being before you.
“Aufils voudra de tolfier prokaló moi.” He says confidently. His voice is thickly accented, but you still understood the message. No one would go against his wishes.
You frown, “They may not defy you but I am an adeiázo. An empty shell. I have no use to them.” Or to you, you think to yourself.
“Luckily for you, a new position has opened up in my organization~.” He yanks the gun out of your grasp and turns on his heel, heading further into the room. He beckons you over his shoulder.
You reluctantly follow.
On the bright side, he wasn’t here to kill you.
The body of your now ex-boss catches your attention.
His chest was cracked open, its contents oddly missing..
You step around him,”Did you do that..?”
“Unlike you little mouse, he had the guts to to steal from me. But rest assured, I took my time ripping those guts right out.” Fluorescent green drool drips down the side of his mouth.
“O-oh..”
“I suggest you get used to sights such as these.”
Soooo... heard of hat flavored bread?
Black Hat never really visited Avidité Central often, though many of his top clients used it as a clandestine transaction area. Originally he had planned to buy an island to set aside for auctions and whatnot, but now that he has taken control of Avidité’s capital he can arrange it to his liking. It was already structured decently, with a port not far off from the city. And now he had you to manage the coverup.
To civilians, you would be a regular baker: catering to events and keeping up a cafe for everyday life.
To villains, you would be their drop off spot and cover.
And a place to buy Black Hat approved goods.
“The cargo will be shipped at night and will arrive at dawn but I can hold it for you for up to five days.” You take notes as you lean on the counter, talking casually to the villain in front of you. It has only been a few weeks since you’ve been doing this “job”, but after meeting your first few villains, you weren’t as scared anymore.
They nod and hand you a roll of cash. “I will be back to pick it up on Thursday.”
You put the money into your pocket. Normally this would be a big no no, but to reveal where a safe was to a villain was even a bigger no. ”Alright. Would you like to buy anything else before you leave?”
The villain looks at the menu on the counter, lifting a brow at the new item.
“Black bread?”
“Hat flavored.” You shiver, “Its.. okay.”
They chuckle, “I think I will pass for now.”
- -
“The bread is having some mixed reviews.” You roll your neck.
Black Hat counts the stack of bills next to him, quietly muttering to himself.
This has been your nights for a few days now.
A car with flaming exhaust pipes and rides up the the bakery with Black Hat inside. He enters the building and counts his profits, leaving you a portion behind to handle the needs of the shop. Once he gets what he needs he leaves.
“It will catch on,” he stuffs the bills into a suitcase, “If not, start over.”
“Yes, Mavroir.” You respond dutifully before flinching at the abrupt sound of his chair scraping against the floor as he stands up.
He smirks.
“Very funny.” You frown.
“Hilarious.” He says. Handing you a slightly thicker stack of money, Black Hat retrieves his keys before heading to the door. “Don’t disappoint me little mouse.”
You wave as he leaves.
Oddly, you didn't mind his presence like you did before.
Hope you don’t mind constant non-business visits cause you’re getting them anyway
Don’t feel special or anything, he’s only checking in on you to make sure you don’t try stashing away some of his well earned money- and that you haven’t been killed by a villain raging over fees.
“Sir?”
“What is it human.”
“Would you like something to drink while you’re here?”
“I have no need for drink.”
“Oh.. Well I just thought you might want to sample a few packets of blood Ms. Mawrasite brought.”
“...”
“...”
“Bring them over.”
Be prepared to deal with his vanity
Black Hat hates beauty, but takes pleasure in showing off his human forms. Usually they’re pretty normal so he can blend in with crowds, but there’s one he especially enjoys showing off~.
The mornings are always the busiest time for you when it comes to regular people. You figure it’s because of the need for caffeine and whatnot, but in the evenings Black Hat arrives it’s almost completely packed.
Well.. you know exactly why in this case.
“Sir, I think that disguise of yours draws more attention than a disguise is supposed to.” You whisper to him.
Black Hat twirls his cane in his hand as he scans the room. His blue eyes shine with wicked amusement.
When he drove up to the front of the cafe today, you weren’t sure if it was really him. He was in a suit like usual, but his skin was a normal tone unlike its normal dark grey. His voice was smoother but fortunately still had his normal British accent.
“Indeed it does. But, my pet, in cases like these, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” He says as he tips his hat to a woman passing by.
You tilt your head, “Its just ..weird.. seeing you look so human.”
He smirks. His teeth are white and blunt though his incisors remain rather sharp. It’s charming.
And unnerving.
“Do you not enjoy my disguise?”
“You’re intentionality handsome, which makes me a bit uncomfortable.”
Slicking back his jet black hair, Black Hat croons, “Would you rather I change into a more beastly form~?”
You wave him off, “Fáse ó que tu thevu.” Do what you please.
“I will.”
For the rest of the day, he keeps himself busy sending his shadow around to break glasses and trip the patrons ogling at his new form. Though he is occasionally swarmed by groups of women, he does not fail to notice your amused smile at his misfortune.
He’ll remember that, he thinks grumpily.
Work perk
You don’t mind his constant visits at all (besides when he breaks plates and cups). For one, he doesn’t really threaten you. Two, because villains know you work for him you can live without fear. Walking at night has become so much easier!
Mostly anyway.. but rest assured, he takes care of it when you’re not around.
Black Hat slinks down the wall of an alleyway and follows behind a drunken man. His putrid stench pollutes the air around them as he stumbles into walls and laughs under his breath.
The human had been loitering around the shop for quite some time, often leaving empty bottles of alcohol at the entrance. Night “clients” would normally enter from the back, so the man would be of no concern to them. Black Hat did not worry about this thing interfering with his business. Any villain worth their salt would be able to get rid of this human trash.
But his worker was awfully human.
They did not complain about the man, though he was known to scare away patrons of the day cafe. In fact, he only learned of this man when he saw a developing bruise on the arm of his little human.
It was a hand print that encircled their upper arm, and no matter how much they brushed it aside, he knew the human could not have done it to themselves.
Therefore..
Black Hat rolls his neck, his skin shifting into scales as his body contorts. Eyes litter his body and tusks grow between crowded rows of sharp teeth as he walks to the man on four clawed legs.
He would have fun with this one.
He’s surprisingly pretty goofy and a bit childish
It’s not long before you realize how silly he is. He reacts over the smallest of things and if he wasn’t so powerful you’re sure he would’ve died a hundred times over from the shit he pulls.
“Sir!”
“What?!” Black Hat hisses and lifts his hat covering his face. He was relaxing damn it!
You hold up an empty canister for him to see, your eyes full of fear.
“Someone stole the fluoroantimonic acid from the storage area.”
“Oh.” He chuckles and covers his face again, “No need to worry little mouse.”
“Why shouldn’t I be worrying about a superacid?!”
“I drank it.” He says simply.
You slowly lower the canister, “But.. why?”
“Why not?”
You begin to hide your cleaning products from him after that.
- - -
“Bloody hell, human!” Black Hat screeches and stomps his foot on the plush carpet in the foyer of his house.
You come running over with your hands and apron covered in flour. Eyes wild, you scan the room, holding a whisk over your head, “What is it sir!”
He points to the cake on the cart you had just wheeled in from the kitchens.
“What is that?!”
You look to it.
The aggressor is the candied dahlia petals you used for decoration.
“..sir..?”
“How dare you use such bright colors! And they look fresh!” He snarls in disgust.
You deadpan, “I’m going back to the kitchen sir.”
“Get rid of those wretched things first!”
With a sigh, you wheel the cart back into the hall.
He could be such a baby sometimes.
He supposes he’ll let you stick around
After the first year of working for him, Black Hat realizes you’ve managed to become one of his permanent workers. You did what you were told and did satisfactory work, you didn’t complain and you were rather decent company when he required it. You somehow weaseled your way to a spot of importance. And if he was being honest with himself, he enjoyed your existence a bit more than he should. Still, he wouldn’t tell you straight out about any affections he may have developed for you, but he wouldn’t be that subtle about his intentions.
Finally after a long day of work, you close the back door of the shop and lock up for the night.
Despite the rapid changes to your routine in the past year, you can’t help but feel content.Your job was never boring, and you enjoyed hearing the stories of adventures and battles from the villains that come by.
It felt good to be spoken to like you mattered.
The honking of a car rips you from your thoughts.
Black Hat barks from his seat, “I haven’t got all night!”
You roll your eyes and join him in the car, sliding into the passenger seat and buckling yourself in.
“You don’t even sleep.”
He starts up the engine, “Why would I sleep when there’s billions of humans waiting to be tormented?”
- -
Arriving at your home in better shape than the dozens of poles and stop signs on the way there, you look back at Black Hat. He looks at you expectantly.
“You know.” You start. “I’ve been working with you for quite some time and you haven’t tormented me yet.”
Black Hat straightens from leaning on the car. “That is because I have something else planned for you.”
“And what would that be?”
Caressing your face, Black Hat whispers in your ear, “I’m going to make you feel one of the seven deadly sins.” He moves away and releases you, leaving you dumbstruck as he enters his car and laughs.
Surely this one was obvious, no one is disillusioned enough to believe the source of all evil in the world would not attempt to off all heroes he sees.
And as a hero, it would be your ultimate goal to free the people from the dangers of villains, especially Black Hat. While you normally patrol your designated city, there has been the occasional meeting with Black Hat himself (usually when he is out collecting debts or working with contemporaries).
“If it isn’t my favorite little nuisance,” Black Hat grins, waving away his subordinates. He didn't need them for this. “Did my last attack teach you nothing? I may enjoy this little game of ours but I will not hold back any one.”
You land on the ground softly, “Should I take that as a compliment?”
“Of course, it is an honor for any human scum to be acknowledged by me.” He steps to the side, blocking your path as his soldiers enter the building behind him.
“What are you up to?”
“I would go on about my magnificent plans but that would be quite silly of me, don’t you think?”
“It would make my life so much easier.” Crystals grow from your arms, forming a shield and sword.
He smirks, shadows spilling from his body.
“But I enjoy w̴̘̲̻͈̌̀́͗͑̂̇͝at̸̢̟͓̗͓̥͈̮̼̃̄̔̄̊c̷͔̪̺̘͓̪͙͈̅͐̀̀͛͗̋̓̊̎͠h̸̡̟̞̖͍̲͊̋̀in̵͈͖͇̜̱̮̑̋̍͂͂̚g̷̮͐ ̵̧̧̧͈͍̜̫̜̬̫̮̮̔͝ỹ̵͕̗̤̍̍̊ő̷̡͕̻͙̤̤̮̣̉̂̂̂́͜ͅù̸̠̟̜̳̩̠̫̗̼̩͇̐͌͒̈́̊̍͆̑͊̚̕͜ ̵̼̲̗͓̖̒́s̵̨̢̼̟̼̬̳͇͍̩̙̓̅͒̏͌̓͂͆͜ư̷̪̞̟͖̓̒̂͂͊̓̔̇̀͜f̷̡̺̦̭̺̩͎̤̯̣̝̫̄͐̋f̶̛̫̗̺̟͖̓̉̀̋̓͆̕e̶̛̺̻̫̫̩̱̺͕͎̲͍̺͋̌͗̎̑̊͊́̃r̸̰͓̳̹͈̹̖͌̒̋̑͒͘~̵͎̯̳̓̆!̴̦̹͔̖̞̠̱̘̪̿̓͝”
He would protect you from other villains
It isn’t because he *shudders* likes you, but because you are the only hero who can amuse him. If another villain were to kill you, not only would you shame him for dying at such a lower villains hands and not his own, but because he would be bored.
You brace yourself for impact, forming a thick shell of diamond around you as the villain on the outside blasts you with gamma rays. You herded the civilians in the area far away, propping up lead walls to try and shield them from the radiation, but it left you with little energy and proper material to protect yourself.
‘They’re safe,’ you think to yourself, ‘That’s what matters.’
Slowly, you begin to feel nauseating waves pierce through your barrier.
You squeeze your eyes shut, not wanting to the the damage that will soon be done to your body.
‘This is it.’
“I’m starting to believe you truly have a death wish little hero.” A gravelly voice rasps from outside.
You look up, eyes wide as the light shining through disappears for a moment.
The villain screams, their attack ending abruptly.
You wait in silence.
The light slowly shines through again, but a shadow approaches from the outside. The outline of a hand reaches out and raps on your barrier.
“You can come out now,” Black Hat chuckles, his voice full of arrogance, “I took care of that pathetic trash. You’ve nothing to fear out here but me.”
Slowly, you would stop fighting
Eventually, you would get used to each other, no longer fighting like before. Meeting in public, you’d bicker more than swap fists. It would come to the point where other heroes would fight with his lackeys while you two debate whether the import taxes and tariffs war is good for anyone. Though Black Hat is rather relaxed seeing as how he isn’t “required” to pay them.
“I don’t understand how you can be so calm about this,” you blow on your cup of hot chocolate as you walk beside the ageless being, “you’re a businessman, this would cut your profits if people don’t pay for your goods right?”
He places a hand on his chest, “A being like me is exempt from such mortal affairs little one; I don’t need to hand over my money to anyone.” He hisses at the children gawking at him, his eye flashing red.
You shake your head, sipping your drink slowly. “You know, I forget you’re like this sometimes.”
“Powerful, awe inspiring, nightmare inducing?” He grins.
“Petty.”
You wouldn’t officially end your rival status
Black Hat is the paragon of evil and the standard all villains should strive towards almost being, it would not look good for him to be so... civil with a hero. The same thing goes for you, you may be used to him and a bit.. fond of him, but you couldn’t leave the League of Heroes! You were one of their top heroes! And you still were drawn to justice, no matter how much you enjoyed Black Hats satirical humor and general company, you didn’t believe villains were right.
This was something you two could agree on. Neither of you could afford to ruin your public appearance.
A secret relationship
Not that either of you ever made it “official” or anything, but you both agree to keeping your public and private lives separate. On the outside, you both would resume your fights and do your own things, but away from the public you could act however you wanted. This leads t the more domestic side of your “courting”.
Visiting your home
After a faux battle leaving you with a stinging gash, you decide to finally show bring your.. partner? Friend? Beau?? to your home.
“Its smaller than I expected.” Black Hat surveys the room around him, lifting up a bottle of mineral water from your table, “Do they not pay their heroes enough?”
You snatch the bottle from him, and swap it for a bottle of disinfectant, “They aren’t cheap like you. I just prefer something cozier.” You stick your tongue at him before drinking. The water soothes the building fever in your body and eases some of the aches and soreness you received from getting smacked around by him.
He clicks his tongue in distaste, “I could heal you ten times faster than mortal medicine.”
“You don’t seem like the healer type. And definitely not for free.” You walk to your bathroom and pull out your medical kit, taking out a roll of gauze, needle and wire. Turning around, you bump into Black Hat who steals the needle from your hand.
“You won’t be needing any of that,” he snaps his fingers, causing the items in your arms to disappear. “Except this.” He holds the needle in his mouth like a toothpick,”I will heal you in exchange for dinner. A good bargain considering the wasted use of my talent.”
You smile, “I’ll cook, as long as the hole in my arm doesn’t grow teeth due to your healing.”
He smirks and stalks down the hall to the kitchen, “That’s not a bad idea, I quite like it.”
You follow after him, “Do it and the first thing it eats is that car of yours.”
“I have plenty to spare.”
Visiting the manor
It doesn’t take much to convince Black Hat into taking you to the manor. Ever the show off, Black Hat makes sure the house is in its top condition before bringing you along with him. Seeing how Hat Island is stock full of villains and is home of Black Hat himself, no hero has ever gotten close to the island and come out unscathed. Until you.
This means you are wholly unprepared for the sight awaiting you.
“This sums you up pretty well.” You stifle a laugh. Before you is the home of evil incarnate. The lair of the monster children are told of at night. The domain of something so evil, he could destroy the planet and dust himself off as if nothing ever happened.
That entity’s home. Is a hat.
He sweeps you inside,”Of course, everything I own must have my stamp of approval.”
“Is the airplane also your stamp of approval?”
He grumbles,”Ignore that.”
- - -
“Your home feels a bit more like a museum and you the curator, but I admit it is very interesting.” You sit at his desk, admiring the artifacts lining the walls. You were especially interested in a piece of what seemed to be a spear.
Noticing your gaze Black Hat chuckles, “I take pieces of history, much of what you see now is because of me.”
“Including the plague?”
A sigh, “Good times.”
The rest of your time is full of questions and his retelling of history (though you take the stories of heroes with a grain of salt).
Final piece to the puzzle
There is no sound of wedding bells- and you highly doubt you could convince him to enter a Church or going to the government for that- so the two of you never truly get “married”. But along the way of your partnership, you both begin to realize that you are very, very fragile. So Black Hat creates a solution. No need to thank him~.
You lift a brow at the small box Black Hat has slid across his desk to you. Picking it up, you pause before opening it.
“Is this another shrunken head because I still haven’t gotten over the last one you gave me.”
He doesn’t look up from his newspaper, “Open it.”
“If something springs out I’m not making dinner.” You open the box.
A signet ring lay inside with the black hat symbol on the top.
“I..assume there is a reason behind this?” You take the ring out, twirling it between your fingers.
He folds his paper and approaches you. You look at him quizzically as he grasps your hand and holds the ring up for you to see.
“This, my little mortal, will keep you from harm.”
He slips the band onto your finger and pats your head, “I cant have you dying on me just yet.”
You lean forward on your palm, “With you here, what could hurt me?”
He leans in with a wicked, vulgar grin and eyes ablaze with want.
A disc leisurely floats to the phonograph in the corner of the room. Filling the chamber with music.
It wasn’t his normal choice, but it would do for today.
Black Hat leans back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment of rest. He didn’t require sleep or breaks, his body never tired like the mortals around him. He was always conscious of everything around him.
But to have a moment with just his glorious self was quite nice..
The melody drifts on.
The world quiets.
Just as bruises form on his body.
And as a dull throb reverberates in his head.
Damn it.
He growls and opens his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed as he cuts off the music with a snap of his fingers. With the moment gone, Black Hat examines his new injuries, though he knows they will fade soon.
The concept of a “soulmate” was not new to him, nor was the affect the bond could have on a pair.
It was quite the revelation when he discovered even he could have one. And for a while, he fancied the idea of having someone all to himself; someone only he could have for the rest of time and then some. But as his intended died and reincarnated he grew annoyed with the drawbacks.
They filled his mind with childish rhymes and songs, giving him scrapes and stupid little paper cuts. They interrupted his plans with out of sync humming. As they grew they went through constant phases and would repeat songs over and over! In one reincarnation, they even fell victim to poisoning and trampling in the same week!
How dare they interrupt his schedule with such pitiful mortal afflictions! He couldn’t even enjoy watching them suffer!
How could his soulmate- his equal! Be so vulnerable?!
A small squeak of gears and doors unlatching catches his attention as he digs his claws into the arms of his chair, green drool dripping from his clenched teeth. Releasing his grip of the chair, he leans back and crosses his legs. Once again under the guise of his “gentlemanly” persona.
“The doctor must be back.” His eye turns red as he connects his consciousness to a portrait downstairs, surveying the room for his lackeys. It was only recently that he acquired this minion, and while he showed some.. promise, the scientist still had yet to truly prove himself. Not that he could ever hope to reach his standards of perfection of course. He doubted if anyone could.
Strangely, there is no movement inside the manor.
He scowls,”Where are those imbeciles.”
Fully immersing himself into the portrait, Black Hat slips out of the canvas and saunters through the house in search of the source of the disturbance. It was likely the gates to the underground garage.
But unloading parcels was no excuse for checking in late!
A familiar melody fills his head causing him to stop walking for a second.
Fondu au noir, he believes. A humming accompanies the lyrics, faint, but enough to be noticed.
They were in sync this time, he thinks with a flutter of amusement.
.
.
.
He grunts, a deep scowl once again on his face as he continues his trek downstairs. Of course they would have bad timing once again, filling his mind with nonsense.
Standing before the doors, he slips through into the garage. Black Hat is greeted by the sight of his subordinates hog tied atop of the car. The bots in the front seats are either dismantled or completely decimated with scorch marks on their plating. The merchandise however, is all in one piece.
‘Lucky doctor.’ Black Hat lifts a brow, his face unamused.
Flug gulps, sweat dripping down the paper bag covering his head,”H-Hello m-my lord!”
Demencia squeals,”Sweetie!”
A twitch of his eye.
The merchandise was there, but his reputation was stained.
Failure.
Absolute. Failure.
“S-Sir..?”
“Its all under control, you said,” Black Hat chuckles, his shadow climbing the wall and expanding,”Its as good as done.” Membranous wings snap from his back as Black Hat roars; his flesh peels back, exposing his gums and fluorescent green teeth, the smell of rot fills the air.
Flug whimpers, curling in on himself as much as he could with his limbs bound,”Y-Yes but you s-see Lord Black Hat-“
“W̡̮̣̼̰͙̾̀̈̏͆̽͢͝H̩͒́͢AT̢̫̖̐̈͐!”
“Avillaingotinourway!”
He snarls,”They are like any other enemy doctor, you take them down!”
“It was a Horseman, sir! They took us down after destroying the Hat-Bots!”
Black Hat pauses.
Flug trembles, waiting for his masters response while Demencia watches adoringly.
.
.
.
“A little Horseman you say?”
“Y-Yes sir.”
Black Hat chuckles and swipes a clawed finger to release the two from their bonds. Leaning closer to Flug he drags a sharp digit across the scientist’s goggles,”I will give you one chance to remedy your little SLIP UP!”
Flug flinches.
Black Hat grins, embracing his flair for the theatrical as the lights die out. Leaving his sickening grin and piercing eye the only light sources in the room.
”Bring them to me.”
———————
Once you got home, you immediately turned on your radio and fell asleep. Sleep means you don’t have to acknowledge the aching in your body.
Pain, or dreams of fireplaces, cats, and fresh bread?
Dreams of course.
But a harsh rapping at the door not hours later, pulls you from your sleep.
You stretch your arms above your head, sighing in pleasure as your sore joints pop. You lay back down to continue sleeping. Screw whoever’s at the door, you want your sleep.
The knocking grows louder, soon turning into insistent banging.
You groan, sitting back up,“I’m going!” You huff,”No need to be so pushy.” Grabbing a pair of brass knuckles from a ceramic vase on the small table by your couch, you stuff your hand into your pocket before unlocking the door and removing the deadbolt.
Swinging open the door, you are met with the sight of Pestilence leaning on the doorway with wide eyes. Death looks everywhere but you and War cradles a fallen potted tree in his arms. Conquest is the only normal one with his hands in his suit pockets.
They’re all dressed nicely, you realize with a small hum.
Conquest smiles softly and waves,”Hey sorella.”
You smile back, waving with the brass knuckles on,”Hey Connie.” Quirking a brow at War, you look to the rest of your siblings,”So. You came to vandalize my plant or my fridge?”
Death grins, signing rapidly,”Wine cellar. War can have the tree.”
“Proceed,” you motion to War as you sign to Death,”This is Why I can't have nice things.” You roll your eyes.
War rightens the tree as the three siblings walk inside, each one giving you a kiss on the cheek or small pat on the shoulder. In the family, a normal hello would work like when you were all kids. But in the family, respect was to be shown when entering the house of any member of the clan. even siblings.
Either way, you really missed these guys. Often they were back at the home base in Calamni with the matriarch and a good chunk of the family. While you weren’t shunned from returning after choosing to enroll in college full time rather than villainy, neither side could visit the other frequently.
“Sooo whatcha up to punk?” Pesty plops herself onto the couch, grinning at Death who heads straight to the kitchen.
You lean on the wall,”Well I was finishing up my art degree but seeing as how the building was destroyed that plan is on hiatus for now.”
“So you were at the collapse.” Conquest sits on the loveseat by the window, he taps his fingers uneasily,”Nonna said you might’ve been the one spotted in the area.”
“I was,” You confess,”But I dealt with the problem, I didn’t start it.”
War let’s out a booming laugh,”No need to defend yourself half pint, we’re not here to accuse you.”
“So you’re really just here for my food?”
Oh don’t you feel loved.
Death walks out from around the corner, a platter of cheese in his hands while wine glasses float behind him,”We come with invitations.” He smiles smugly as you squint to read the label on the bottle of wine behind him.
“I was saving that!” You shriek.
The cork pops from the bottle as Death sings,”Not anymore~!”
Pestilence eagerly rubs her hands together,”Pass the loot Videl!”
Death puts down the tray before filling the glasses. Leaving you glaring at them all as the bottle is soon left half empty.
“This better be good.” You sit by Pestilence and are soon boxed in by Death who places his legs on yours and Pestilence’s lap.
War swirls the wine in his glass, a grin gradually forming,”It's pretty exciting.”
“Your exciting or my exciting?” You plop a small block of cheese into Death’s mouth.
“Bit of both” he shrugs.
“Alright, what is it?”
War looks to Conquest who pulls out a small envelope, passing it along to his brother. Opening the envelope, War clears his throat and says,
“The Black Hat Organization cordially invites the House of Horsemen and select members of Death Inc. to our decennial gala to celebrate the achievements of current and past villains. The gala will begin at sundown and end at sunrise. There will be a live auction, dead auction, music and dance then some sort of groveling over Black Hats achievements I guess.” War rambles on,”It mentions pops also getting recognized but we haven’t told him yet.”
“Why not?” You ask.
“Because of mom.” Pestilence floats her glass in front of her, eyes glassy as she listens to the viruses and bacteria that linger around her around her. “She’s definitely not invited, and the old man probably won’t want to go without her.”
“Yeah.. so you guys are taking me?”
“Of course, you’re part of the clan. Unless you want us to take Belladonna and Pluto without you and make you look like the third wheel.” Conquest stifles a smile.
You huff,”After you drank my wine I deserve an invitation.”
“Good! We’re going then, time to get dressed!” Pestilence darts up the stairs.
Your eyes widen,”Wait you never said it was-!” Death slips behind the couch and lifts you from under your arms, carrying you up the stairs with ease.
“Bell’s already in the car!” War cups his hands over his mouth to be heard over your thrashing,”Dress nice this time okay!”
“FUCK YOU!” You let out one last scream before Death tosses you into your room with Pestilence.
Death holds onto the door as you bang on it, calling out to your siblings as your sister takes it upon herself to prepare you for the gala. He smiles nervously at his older brothers, motioning a swift,”Phew!”
War chuckles before looking to Conquest,”This should be fun.”
Conquest simply downs his wine silently.
———————
Black Hat prowls the area, watching as guests begin to enter. He vaguely recalls faces, with most villains not being worth his notice whatsoever. But tonight he searches for a specific kind of company.
A Horseman.
“Lord Black Hat.”
A voice behind him calls. He turns around and finds the Four Horsemen and a few others in their party. Lucky him, he grins to himself.
Conquest bows,”It's an honor to be invited once more, my lord.” The others follow suit but rise before their leader does.
Black Hat hums, looking down at the younger man,”It has been some time hasn’t it?” He scans the group, temporarily pausing on.. one.
“Part of the company?” He asks, referring to Death Inc. which like his own company, was multifaceted. Perhaps they were from the lower ranks.
Conquest looks up, turning to his side,”No sir, she is from our clan. My sister in fact.”
You look up at the tall “man” before you, feeling your pulse quickening as he assesses you silently. His eyes roam from your head to your toes before landing on your face, his eye shining with what you could only describe as something predatory. You were a bit terrified, knowing who he was and what he was capable of- remembering seeing it on the battlefield long ago.
But at the same time, you felt elated. Excited. As if a murky glass was wiped clean. It felt new.
Your group steps to the side as Black Hat approaches you. Their bodies tense, knowing they could step in to attack but ultimately would be nothing more than flies for him to swat away. They could do nothing but watch and wait.
Stopping a foot away, Black Hat removes his top hat and holds it to his chest as he performs a small bow. A bowler hat is in place of the one he took off.
“A pleasure to meet you.” He purrs and looks up at you, sending a jolt of electricity up your spine.
“This song again?” You rub your temples, your eye twitching as the sound of heavy metal drones on in your head. It overwhelms the sound of your own music. Setting down your palette, you drop your paintbrush into a jar of solvent before marching to your radio resting on the windowsill of your room.
Lowering the volume, you wait for the music on your other’s “side” to soften. You honestly pity their eardrums if they listen to music this loudly.
Soon, the music stops altogether.
Good.
You crank up your own music to full blast. A smug smile tugs at your lips.
“Hope you like jazz, jerk face.”
Ever since the day you were born, music seemed to stream constantly to you from your other half’s side. Whether it was night or day, music played ceaselessly. When you were young, you’d make a game of playing your favorite records to try and share your tastes with your soulmate, hoping they’d eventually show an interest in the same music.
Their music didn’t change exactly, mostly sticking to classics and rock, but on nights when your room grew uncomfortably quiet, soft music would play and lull you to sleep.
Childhood was fun, full of guessing games and the like, but the tune changed when you reached your teens. As supers made more and more appearances in your life, the music grew darker and twisted, as if the person on the other side was directly affected in some way.
Soon, your game of appeasing your other evolved into a game of bothering them as they did you. Some days you won, some you lost. You blasted ballads and pop songs while they flooded you with death metal and songs you couldn’t decipher. You won the mornings while they won the nights. Mostly when you were preparing to sleep.
At the very least, they didn’t often get hurt. That, you were grateful for. Pain is also shared between soulmates, though the physical wound of the other is only momentary for the partner.
“Still, you have a wicked sense of humor, love.” You sigh, rubbing your eyes as the memory of flesh falling from your face comes to mind. There’s been plenty of times where your body ached from phantom shifting, but the physical wounds always hurt the most. “Making me worry about you when you put yourself in situations like that.”
Perhaps they're a hero or a villain. Its entirely possible. Supers put themselves in harms way all the time. Maybe it wasn’t recklessness but the goodness of their hearts that drove them into danger.
...or they were just a prankster
Either way, they were getting drop kicked to the heavens when you found them.
“Now that I think of it, they have to be pretty old if they’ve been at this since I was born.” You muse to yourself, brushing your hair back as you pick up where you left off on the canvas covered in oil paint before you.
“Maybe I’ll paint you one day.”
——
“Starting off with Dean Martin I see” you adjust the strap of your supply bag to rest more comfortably across your chest. The smooth crooning of the late singer invades your thoughts; its a nice change of pace. “You must be having a good day huh?” Exiting your car, you hum along to the song as you open the trunk of your car to take out your painting.
For your college class, you decide to bring in your painting of the final battle between the Headless Rider and Bright Knight; a super-villain and superhero who later disappeared from the public’s eye. You were pretty damn proud of the piece, seeing how it had taken you weeks to finish.
Entering the liberal and performing arts center, you head for the elevators. On the way you pass by several.. odd looking individuals. They were robots. However, living in a world full of supers means not much phases you anymore.
Shrugging, you continue your journey and makes your way up to the 11th floor. Passing by Mara, one of your classmates, the two of you start up a conversation about the sudden appearance of the Four Horsemen. Mercenaries that arrived from Calamni {a country far to the south}, the Horsemen brought with them a new wave of terror; ranging from riots to bio weapons. They didn't act on their own but would do nearly anything for the right price.
“I’m afraid to go outside at night.. I hear Pestilence is preparing something real nasty. They say she’s the one behind the break in at the CDC.” Mara says, her skin turning ashen at the thought of the pale rider.
”Are you up to date on all your shots?” You respond jokingly, smiling down at the shorter girl.
Mara whines and clutches her sculpture to her chest,”Its not funny, I get sick super easily. And what if my soulmate is in the area of the attack? I don’t want to lose them before I even meet them!”
“I’m sure you and your soulmate will be just fine” You reassuringly state,”Just drink a lot of orange juice and take your vitamins.” You wink playfully.
Your classmate frowns. ”What about you, aren’t you worried about your soulmate?”
“They’ve gone through worse than a little cold. I think they’ll be just fine” They didn’t seem to feel worried, if the transitioning sound to Frank Sinatra was any indication of their mood.
Diverting from your original discussion, you both prepare yourselves for the upcoming critiques.
However, before you can step through the doors to class, a rattling boom shakes you both to the core. You drop to the ground and assess the environment around you.
The floor titters and jolts.
Never a good sign.
“Oh gods please-!” Mara shouts as the ceiling begins to crack and bend.
‘Time to go.’ You think.
Jumping to your feet you yank Mara up, leaving behind your painting as you run to the emergency stairs,”Lets get out of here!”
Mara clutches your sleeve as people fleeing from classrooms bump and push against her. Many head towards the closest stairway while others rush towards the windows in hopes of flagging down help from the outside.
“What if the stairs are blocked!” Mara screams over the sound of mayhem.
You yank open the door and begin your descent,”We’ll burn that bridge when we get there!”
———————————
True to Maras fear, the stairway was blocked in by bent beams and debris.
Still, music comes from your other.
Such lovely music in such a shitty time.
Mara backs away and begins tangling her fingers in her hair,”We have to call the police!”
You mumble,”They won’t get here in time, the building will collapse by then.” Peeking under a leaning beam, you spot a ray of light. A small whistle can be heard from the other side as well.
Wind?
“I think the explosion must’ve caused the rubble to break the wall on the other side.” You back up slightly, flinching as the foundations above you begin to groan.
“We aren’t strong enough to get through, and we’re still on the 7th floor! There’s no way we would survive that fall!”
“Actually..” You whisper nervously,”I am strong enough..”
With a flick of your wrists, gauntlets form around your hands and down to your elbows; encasing them in polished metal.
“H..how-“ Mara sputters, instantly recognizing the emblem on the back of your hands. She presses herself against the wall, glancing at the stairs behind her.
“You’re a Horseman” she squeaks,”the same family as-“
You raise your hands in defense,”Same as the Headless Rider and the Four. Yes, but I promise I mean you no harm.”
Mara laughs incredulously,”You’re trying to make us jump 7 stories, what do you by mean ‘you no harm’?! How do I know that your clan isn’t the one behind this attack?!”
“They may be infuriating but my siblings would never kill me off like this, trust me, we pinky swore as kids. Now, I know this is weird but it’s either jumping or getting crushed to death.” You intercede before she can interrupt,”And I don’t think either of our soulmates would like that very much.”
Gulping down several deep breaths Mara looks past you to the rubble blocking the wall.
”..You can’t just clear the rest of the stairs..?”
“I’m fast but not that fast” The rumbling grows deafening. Even from here, the sounds of screaming can be heard from upstairs. But it too is silenced by the destruction.
You growl,”Choose now Mara!”
“Okay!” Mara whimpers,”Okay! Please, get us out of here.”
Pivoting on your heel, you strike the rubble with gauntlets glowing like a steel forge. Instantly, the cement gives way, turning to dust and leaving only beams that are easily pushed away. Making a clear path to the opening in the wall, you break the edges of the wall to widen the hole further.
As expected, wind whips your face as you loom over the opening. Squinting against the biting breeze, you spot the cause of the explosion at the base of the building.
The robots from before are lugging out bag after bag of artifacts and large containment tubes of delicate articles and manuscripts. Smaller bots stand at the ground level of your current building with armfuls of explosives.
For a moment, you question why they would target your building when it holds nothing of importance. But then you remember the security office on the first floor that has direct phone access to the League of Heroes.
And the other building..
“They were after the restoration sector.” You mutter under your breath,”All this destruction for some silly papers..” Backing up from the opening, you summon the rest of your signature armor to shield your body. Your clan would definitely scold you for revealing herself to a civilian, but you would get even worse if you revealed yourself to the whole school.
“I’m going to jump. Whatever you do, don’t squirm, okay?” Lifting Mara into your arms, you brace yourself to jump.
You weren’t afraid of heights after your training with your siblings, but that didn’t make you fond of the idea of falling.
Mara covers her face with one hand while latching the other around your neck,”Please don’t drop me.”
You walk up the hole,”I don’t know, that sounds pretty tempting.”
“You better not-“ Mara is cut off as you both go plummeting down, her words die in her throat as she screams in terror at the sudden free fall.
On the other hand, you take this moment to look for any sign of the lead villain. Usually when robots are involved, the brains behind the operation is nearby to ensure their plan goes smoothly. But all you could see was a flash of green scaling the second building and what must’ve been a science major panicking below it as you fell.
Poor guy looked like he was losing his shit. You chuckle under your helmet.
Nearing impact, you adjust your grip on Mara to aim your right fist at the ground.
War was the brawler in the family, but that didn’t mean you didn’t pack a punch.
Releasing a wave of violet energy, the force exerted slows the fall just enough to allow you to land with minor injuries. Left with a light sprain and a crick in the neck from Maras grip, you hide behind a bush near the back of the art department.
Mara reluctantly opens her eyes, sighing with relief at the sight of safe and sturdy ground. Looking up at you, she smiles sheepishly,”Thank you ..for helping me.”
You smile under the helmet, the slits for eyes emitting a soft lavender glow.
“You’re welcome. But know that if you tell anyone my secret I will have to kill you.”
“Duly noted.” Mara laughs with a twinge of nerves.
Setting her down gently, you wait for her to regain her balance before pointing to the robots,”I’ll handle them, you get out of here and make sure the school contacts the LoH.”
Mara nods, running to the main campus.
Left alone, you crack your knuckles as you approach the restoration building.
‘I don’t want to set the world on fire’ plays on in your head, a silent requiem for the collapsing building behind you.
Debris passes by you as the floors finally cave in.
Your soulmate gave you numerous injuries.
They could handle yours.
———————
Flug had many fears, mostly two-
“WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! LOOK AT ME NERD!”
Three. Three fears.
The first being Black Hat, who just recently took Flug on as his chief scientist. He would have been overjoyed were it not for his new masters record with past employees.
Dead, dead, double dead, mutilated horribly, missing, eaten, exsanguinated, excravated, eviscerated, and so on.
No one ever just “quit”. Unless they “quit life” but that decision seemed to be Black Hat’s instead of theirs.
His second fear was still Black Hat, but it mostly was towards the idea of failing him and turning out like the people before him. Flug was durable due to experiments he tested on himself and maybe even some of his heritage.. but he was surely not durable enough to face the incarnation of evil himself and get away unscathed.
His third fear was the woman above him currently frightening the people stuck inside the building she was climbing.
She was his creation, in a way, mixing lizard DNA with a normal human to test hybridization and its affects on the human psyche. While it did give the subject an immunity to most poisons, heightened strength and the ability to climb walls-among other things- her mindset was changed drastically.
He’d have to remember to ask Black Hat just what lizard he gave him for the experiment.
“Hey doc, what are we gonna do with these guys!” Dememcia waves excitedly to the people inside, grinning at the fear in their eyes.
Flug adjusts his goggles,”Leave them I guess? We just need a few more documents and we’ll be done here.” Why a lower class villain would want these papers were beyond him. Based on his research and examinations of security footage, they weren’t very important at all. Maybe this villain just had an odd hobby.
Unlatching herself from the building, Demencia rolls to the ground, landing perfectly on her feet.. Stretching her arms over her head, she counts the hatbots retreating from the structure.
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7- hey!” A blast singes the top of her head, burning her hoodie.
Flug turns around and cocks the blaster in his hand,”Who’s there!”
You approach them silently with your gauntlet pointed to Demencia. Activating your vocal distortion box you hiss,”So many bots for a simple college run, eh?”
Demencia smiles menacingly,”Look Flug, a new bug to squish!”
Flug’s squints, doing a quick evaluation of the villain who-! His eyes widen in fear.
”Demencia wait!”
Demencia launches herself with full force, effectively slamming you into the ground with a heavy thud.
Digging your fingers into the hybrids hair, you headbutt her, letting go after hearing a wet crunch of bone.
Demencia jumps away, wiping a trail of blood running from her nose,”Ohhh, I like you~” Her eyes shine with excitement.
“Can’t say the same” You stand and wince at the throbbing pain forming behind your eyes. Unlike your siblings who had a natural buffer to keep them from feeling the affects of their abilities, you inherited drawbacks from your mothers side. The more you fought, the more your body suffered.
Power came at a price.
A sudden blow to your diaphragm knocks the air out of your lungs, causing you to skid back several feet
You allow yourself only a moment to catch your breath.
‘Pitiful’ you think to yourself,’I’ve let myself become soft.’ You look to the girl in front of you, her fist bloody but her grin still plastered on her face.
You weren’t Conquest, or War, or Pestilence, or even Death.
But you weren’t weak.
Your gauntlets begin to glow as your armor shifts. Slamming them together, they morph to form spikes along the knuckles.
Flug calls out again to Demencia who dances in place, unaware of the enemy in front of her drawing closer,”Don’t let her hit you!”
“Aww come on doc, she’s just a poser! Look-“
Demencia is knocked to her knees.
Blast after blast, spikes of energy pierce her body, sending her further into the ground.
Fumbling with his blaster, Flug retrieves a remote from his coat, pressing a bright red button.
“Stay down little mortal. I’ll take it from here.”
You clutch the bleeding hole in your abdomen as tendrils begin to wrap around you. They gently caress you as you are lowered to the ground. Prodding you for more wounds, after finding no fatal injury they retract and return to their owner.
Despite the searing pain pulsing throughout your body, you can’t help but stare in confusion at the eldritch being before you. His back is to you as he examines the area where you fought a new hero. The blood splatter on the walls and floor seem to catch his attention as he kneels and swipes a gloved finger in a particularly deep puddle. His pupil dilates as his attention flickers to the gash on your leg.
“...”
Straightening, he wipes the blood on the wall before focusing his attention to the alley where the hero escaped. Watching him approach it, you note his steps are silent but his body tense with.. rage.
Rage.
You laugh before a stabbing pain shoots through your body, your teeth clench automatically as your wound contracts. Weren’t you a smart one?
”You didn’t have to come” You whisper, knowing he could hear you perfectly,”I can handle myself, devil.”
Black Hat stops.
For a moment, you believe he will continue walking. Leaving without a word is very much a him thing to do. (Especially when he’s in a mood.)
But Instead of silence, his response is a raspy chuckle, one akin to the sound of nails against a chalkboard. Tilting his head to look back at you, his eye flashes red as he croons affectionately.
“Oh I know my little mortal can handle trash like this. But I can’t let my investment be attacked without letting the world know the punishment, now can I~?”
“Investment.” You click your tongue. “Is that what you call all your wives?” You grin, your body slowly beginning the process of stitching itself back up,”Then again, you’re a businessman. I suppose that’s the closest I’ll get to a compliment out of you.”
He hums in agreement,”If not for this little arrangement of ours, I would have let you die ages ago. Perhaps you should honor your title a bit more, seeing as you have the pleasure of calling me yours. Temporarily of course~.”
“Sure sure....” you smile, used to this kind of talk already. “Now go devil man, your ugly mug is halting my healing.”
He snarls, the softness in his tone leaving. But so does the tension in his body.
Good, the man was looking too uptight for your liking.
“Don’t test me little one.” Black Hat flashes his teeth menacingly.
Flashing your ring, you point to the end of the alley,”Your wife would very much like the pretty chain on that hero’s neck~.”
Leaving with a glare, Black Hat slips into the shadows to avenge his unfortunately alive wife.
One day he would be rid of you, but for now he would indulge you.
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